News from around the world

A convicted child molester is reaching out to his victims from behind prison bars.

Jason Newsom, 38, was convicted of sexually abusing four boys at his New Caney wildlife farm several years ago. He was sentenced to twenty years in prison.

Kim’s son was just 15 when he was molested by Newsom. She wants her name kept private to protect her now 20-year-old son.

“I’m not an angry person, but for the first time in my life I wanted someone dead,” she said. “My son went from being a very happy child to having anger issues.”

Newsom isn’t allowed to contact any of his victims, but he has.

But earlier this year, Kim’s family received a letter of apology from Newsom despite signing up for the Texas Department of Criminal Justice’s non-correspondence list. That means she should not be contacted by her son’s attacker ever.

“That’s violating us all over again,” she said. A loophole in the rule allowed Newsom to pull it off by sending the letter to the child’s attorney who forwarded it to the four victims.

As if that weren’t shocking enough, months later Kim discovered Newsom had a profile on http://www.myspace.com operated by a third party.

“This is a fascinating issue and could be a catalyst for change,” said crime victims’ advocate Andy Kahan. “MySpace security can only look through filtration of sex offenders who are registered. Because Newsom is serving time, he doesn’t have to register.”

It’s another loophole, perhaps, one mother hopes will bring change.

“If I can just help one child, that would do a lot of healing for me too,” said Newsom.

The Texas Department of Criminal Justice is investigating the matter. Inmates mail can be opened by prison officials, unless it’s sent to a law enforcement officer, judge, or in this case, an attorney.

There’s new information about a Gwinnett County church volunteer accused of child molestation. Another person has come forward, saying he was a victim.

“During the course of the investigation there was always the possibility of a third victim,” said Gwinnett County Police Corp. David Schiralli. “Through the investigation they determined there was a third victim.”

Gwinnett County police said Antoine Louis Johnson setup a fake profile on MySpace and was posing as a 16-year-old girl. The boy’s mother said the girl, named Kristen, befriended her son on MySpace last summer.

The Dacula mother said she couldn’t be happier Johnson is behind bars. She said the 26-year-old man has been sexually molesting her 13-year-old boy and killed a part of her child.

The boy’s mother said Johnson picked up her son, took him to a vacant home where, she said, Johnson sexually assaulted her son. She said it didn’t stop there. Johnson blackmailed her son into meeting him at least three other times.

Johnson had been volunteering with the youth at Hebron Baptist Church in Dacula the last two years. Administrative Pastor David Baker said Johnson was terminated as soon as they learned of his arrest.

Baker said as of right now, they do not believe there are any alleged victims in their congregation.

A local psychologist who has counseled hundreds of sex offenders believes there’s nothing more dangerous to them or the public than the Internet.

“If they’ve benefited from treatment at all, they should know that they shouldn’t be involved in any Internet discussions or be on any social networking sites,” said Dr. James Orlando, Clinical Director at Summit Psychological Associates.

“It’s way too tempting for them. It would be like an alcoholic taking a job as a bartender. It’s really not a good idea, and they should know that.”

Earlier this year, Facebook and MySpace each adopted new policies prohibiting sex offenders from having personal pages.

Facebook has already deleted the profiles of more than 5,000 convicted sex offender, including an Akron man who molested boys at a local high school ten years ago and whose Facebook profile was featured several weeks ago on Channel 3 News.

Recently, a Kent mother checked the names of sex offenders in her neighborhood and found four men — all of whom had offended against young girls — with active Facebook profiles.

Orlando realizes that the ease of access makes it impossible to follow every sex offender’s activity on the Internet, but after counseling hundreds of offenders, he’s confident social networking is a one-way ticket to disaster.

“Sex offending occurs in the context of a relationship, almost always,” Orlando said. “So for an offender to offend, they need two things. They need opportunity to get to victims and they need an opportunity to develop a relationship . Social networking enables them to develop a relationship with a lot of people slowly over a course of time, and they slowly groom a lot of people until they find one they can offend against. So it’s ideal for them.”

A 27-year-old Coweta County resident has been arrested for allegedly using the Internet and his cell phone to send obscene material to a 15-year-old.

Authorities believe there are other victims locally and are urging them to come forward.

Timothy David Schwiederek, of 26 Price Road, Newnan, was taken into custody without incident on June 6, charged with computer pornography and child exploitation as well as electronically furnishing obscene material, according to Major James Yarbrough of the Coweta County Sheriff’s Office.

On June 4, the sheriff’s office began investigating a report by a local citizen that a 15-year-old girl was receiving obscene materials through the online social networking site MySpace and on her cell phone. Schwiederek was chatting online under the nickname “Tater,” say authorities.

The suspect allegedly posed as one of the victim’s friends to gain access to her page. The victim’s cell phone number was on her page, which Schwiederek reportedly used to make sexual advances and send nude pictures. He also sent inappropriate material through MySpace.

Investigators traced the illegal activity to Schwiederek, a janitor at the Fulton County Airport at Charlie Brown Field. They executed a search warrant at his residence and found “a lot of pornography,” according to Yarbrough. Authorities seized his computer, which will be analyzed by the Georgia Bureau of Investigation.

Police also found notebooks at Schwiederek’s home that contained names of girls with their e-mail addresses and other contact information, according to the major.

“We believe he’s done this to other individuals,” said Yarbrough.

Anyone who believes they may have been victimized by Schwiederek should contact Yarbrough or Inv. Jason Fetner at 770-253-1502.

Yarbrough reminds users of social networking sites to limit the personal information they put on their profile.

Gwinnett County police say a 26-year-old man posed as a teenage girl on the Web site MySpace.com to lure a 13-year-old boy for sex.

Antoine Louis Johnson is being held in the Gwinnett County Detention Center without bond. Johnson was arrested Friday and charged with aggravated child molestation and child molestation.

Authorities said the boy told a guardian early last week that he had been molested in June 2008.

The boy said he met a girl on the social networking site who promised sex if he would allow her brother to perform sexual acts on him, according to police.

Johnson picked up the boy near the entrance of his neighborhood and took him to a nearby vacant house for sex, authorities said.

Police learned that Johnson contacted a friend of the boy and sought a meeting, again pretending to be a 16-year-old girl.

Johnson arranged a meeting Friday with the boy and his friend at the intersection of Indian Shoals Road and Biltmore Oaks Drive, police said. Investigators approached Johnson and took him into custody.

A 20-year-old man is behind bars; accused of sexually assaulting a 13-year-old girl he met on Myspace.

According to Fresno County Sheriff Margaret Mims, 20-year-old Luis Bernabe was arrested on Monday evening at a residence near Valentine Ave.

Mims says her officers were called to the residence regarding an assist to the Kings County Sheriff’s Office. A 13-year-old had been reported as a runaway out of Kings County, and an investigation into the matter led officers to believe the girl may have been with Bernabe.

Detectives had learned that Bernabe and the teen met on MySpace, and had been in contact for several months ago.

Officials say they believe Bernabe drove to Kettleman City Monday morning, where the girl lived, and picked her up, taking her back to Fresno with him. While searching the girls room, her mother found Bernabe’s name and address on a piece of paper and gave it to deputies.

When deputies arrived at Bernabe’s residence they found the girl inside the home, and Bernabe hiding in a bedroom closet. While at the home, deputies learned that Bernabe had sexually assaulted the girl, and arrested and booked him into the Fresno County Jail on sexual assault charges.

Sheriff Mims would like to advise parents that they can get more information on social networking and Internet safety by visiting the Fresno Internet Crimes Against Children task Force website at www.fresnoicac.org.

Authorities believe there may be dozens of victims of a MySpace scam that targeted teenage girls thoughout California, Canada and the United Kingdom.

32 year old Joshua David Threlkeld is accused of posing as a 14-year-old girl to get teens to model for photos, then having sex with them.

At least 40 victims have been identified in Orange, San Bernardino, Los Angeles and Riverside counties. Investigators believe there could be up to 100 more.

Threlkeld was arrested Friday, following an investigation that began in February with a report from two teenage girls who said they were contacted by a man who posed as a 14 year old girl using the name Sarah Miller on MySpace, according to sheriff’s Sgt. David Gutierrez

The girls were asked if they wanted to pose for photos with a man named “Josh” who ran a modeling agency called “Model-508 Studio,” according to sheriff’s officials. The two girls were picked up in Moreno Valley and driven to Orange County where the man photographed them. One of the girls was asked to pose during a second photo shoot in Palm Springs. Officials say that’s when the man had sex with the girl.

“When she became despondent because she wouldn’t be paid for modeling, Threlkeld offered her money for sex,” sheriff’s Detective Matthew Weinstein wrote in the declaration in support of an arrest warrant.

“Desperate to get money because her mother was on welfare and … behind on rent,” the girl agreed and got into a shower with the defendant, where she gave him oral sex and allowed him to do the same, as well as another sex act, the detective alleged.

The girl was allegedly paid $120 and taken home, Weinstein said.

Authorities were alerted after a friend of one of the girls learned about the alleged incidents and told her own mother, who contacted that girl’s mother, according to court documents.

Investigators were able to track down a man who fit the description of “Josh” using MySpace. His neck tattoos made him easy to track down, according to Guitierrez.

Police searched Threlkeld’s Orange County home and seized computers, cell phones, and cameras.

Investigators with the Sexual Assault Felony Enforcement Team checked the suspect’s MySpace site, `Model-508 Studios,” and determined it was an online solicitation site for nude modeling work, and was apparently geared toward girls between 13 and 17 years of age, authorities said.

According to Weinstein, Threlkeld was successful in getting many girls to send him graphic, revealing poses of themselves.

Weinstein’s declaration states that Threlkeld, in an interview with detectives, admitted to being “sick” and taking nude photos of girls and sending those photos to them in order to entice them into taking more sexually explicit photos for him.

Threlkeld said he need help for his “addiction,” Weinstein wrote.

“He claimed the original two victims were `jealous’ and he did not know what they would say about him,” Weinstein wrote.

Threlkeld is scheduled to be arraigned Wednesday on charges of kidnapping to commit rape; aggravated sexual assault of a minor by force; penetration by force, violence, duress, menace or fear; communicating with a minor with the intent to commit a specified offense; and arranging a meeting with a minor.

One of Hawaii’s first Internet sex cases ended Monday with a one-year prison sentence.

That will mean early freedom for a dangerous sexual predator, prosecutors said.

It was among the first cases where the suspect met the victim on MySpace.com.

With more than three years in court, the case showed how difficult it can be to get a tough sentence when the victim pretended to be someone older online, KITV reported.

Matthew Cargill, 32, claimed he was 18 on the Internet. He met up with a 15-year-old claiming she was 16.

“I don’t think anybody should be able to go through what I went through,” the victim said in court.

In the three years since his arrest, Cargill went through sex offender and substance abuse treatment. His victim sought treatment for her mental suffering.

“How could you have done something so terrible to my daughter?” the victim’s mother asked Cargill in court. “He’s been able to continue on his life, while her life is still living in a prison on her own.”

“There’s no way I can give you guys back what was taken,” Cargill said.

The prosecutor said Cargill had a disturbing history, including indecent exposure and stealing underwear.

“The defendant is a sexual predator. He is a danger to the children of this community and he is a time bomb waiting to happen,” Deputy Prosecutor Thalia Murphy said.

Cargill’s lawyer said in this case he was enticed and fooled by the victims MySpace persona.

“We want to fight about this in court. This is going to be embarrassing to her family. I want to avoid this,” defense attorney Myles Breiner said.

Judge Karen Ahn gave Cargill the minimum sentence under the plea agreement, one year in jail with five years probation.

“You are forewarned that you will be very closely monitored,” Ahn said.

In the three years since Cargill became involved in one of Hawaii’s first Internet sex cases, the law has been toughened considerably. If convicted of the same conduct now, Cargill would have automatically received 10 years in prison.

LOUISVILLE, KY—United States District Judge John G. Heyburn, II, sentenced Michael Thomas Potter, Jr., age 40, of Mt. Washington, Kentucky, in Bullitt County, to 27 years’ imprisonment for four charges of violating federal child exploitation laws, Acting United States Attorney Candace G. Hill of the Western District of Kentucky announced today. Potter had previously pled guilty to receiving and possessing numerous images of child pornography as well as attempting to entice a minor to engage in sexual conduct punishable under law and attempted production of child pornography. Judge Heyburn also imposed a term of lifetime supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system.

According to court records, in May 2007, a minor female (“minor”), living in Mount Washington, Kentucky, met and began communicating with a person on MySpace. The minor communicated with a person identified as “Tasha Thomas,” who reported that she was a 14-year-old female. During the on-line communications, which occurred on several occasions, “Tasha” described engaging in sexual acts with her father and three other girls. Additionally, “Tasha” sent the minor a photograph of an underage girl, claiming that it was “Tasha.” The photograph showed a teenaged girl sitting on a stool next to a table in a sexually suggestive pose. The message accompanying the photograph was “send yours.”

“Tasha” invited the minor to meet her, engage in sexual conduct, and have her (Tasha’s) father photograph the activity. “Tasha” asked the minor if she “would do it with an older guy,” and told the minor that her (Tasha’s) father would be willing to engage in sexual activity with the minor. During the communications, “Tasha” gave the minor her address in Mt. Washington on Treva Court.

The minor’s father became aware of the on-line communications and contacted the Mount Washington Police. With the permission of the minor’s father, a police officer assumed the minor’s identity and engaged in on-line communications with “Tasha” on May 18, 2007. Law enforcement officials investigated the Treva Court address previously provided by “Tasha” during the on-line communications. The Kentucky State Police Sex Offender Registry revealed that a registered sex offender, Potter, lived at the address. A comparison of the sex offender’s photograph with photographs contained on “Tasha’s” MySpace page confirmed that it was the same person. Law enforcement officials identified the man as Michael Thomas Potter, Jr.

During the course of the on-line communications, the undercover officer—posing as the minor—agreed to meet “Tasha” at a nearby convenience store / gas station. Law enforcement officials set up surveillance at the location on May 18, 2007. Potter arrived at the location at the prearranged time. Law enforcement officials arrested him and searched his car incident to the arrest. When they searched the car, law enforcement officials found a digital camera (specifically, a Kodak Easy Share DX 7590 bearing serial number KCTD644306330).

Law enforcement officials reviewed several of the computer diskettes. The diskettes contained images (both still and in video format) of minors engaging in sexually explicit conduct, that is, child pornography. One disk contained approximately 223 still images, many of which depicted minors engaging in sexually explicit conduct. Additionally, two diskettes contained multiple video files containing child pornography.

A federal law enforcement official requested a Seizure Order and Search Warrant from the United States District Court for the Western District of Kentucky to obtain the materials previously seized from Potter by the Mt. Washington Police Department. The Court authorized the requests. A federal law enforcement official conducted a forensic examination of the computer seized from Potter’s residence. A review of the materials on the computer revealed the presence of numerous images of child pornography. Examination of the meta data from several images revealed that the images were acquired from the Internet in May 2007. The forensic examination revealed 257 still images and 37 movie files containing child pornography. The images depicted, among other things, vaginal and anal rape of very young children.

A review of the records for the United States District Court for the Western District of Kentucky revealed that a Judgment was entered on March 29, 1999, regarding Michael T. Potter. The Judgment indicated that on December 14, 1998, Potter pled guilty to six counts of interstate transportation by computer of visual depictions involving the use of a minor engaging in sexually explicit conduct, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 2252(a)(2). The district court imposed a sentence of 27 months’ imprisonment followed by three years of supervised release in the 1998 case.

Assistant United States Attorney Jo E. Lawless prosecuted the case. The United States Attorney’s Office worked closely with the Bullitt County Commonwealth Attorney’s Office throughout the investigation and prosecution of the case. The Mt. Washington Police Department initiated the investigation and the Federal Bureau of Investigation provided significant computer forensic assistance in the development of the case and prosecution.

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative designed to protect children from online exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys Offices, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov/.

Acting United States Attorney Hill praised the cooperative efforts of law enforcement demonstrated in response to this very serious case. Hill noted, “The cooperative spirit evidenced by investigators and prosecutors in the Potter case highlights the goals and purpose of Project Safe Childhood. Together, we brought the full weight of the criminal justice system to bear against a dangerous child sex offender. The Potter case exemplifies the positive impact of Project Safe Childhood in our efforts to protect the children in our communities.”

Kruckeberg became a registered sex offender after a 2006 conviction for aggravated criminal sexual abuse in Madison County, records indicate. He has a lengthy record for crimes including forgery, aggravated battery to a pregnant person, burglary and theft, but according to records, he has gotten only probation or supervision for the crimes.

A Bethalto area man is one of the first people in the area to be charged under a new law that prohibits registered sex offenders from holding MySpace or other Internet-based social networking accounts.

Gregory J. Kruckeberg Jr., 27, of the 5600 block of State Route 140, was charged Monday in Madison County Circuit Court with unlawful failure to register as a sex offender, under a provision of a statute passed last year. The law mandates that registered sex offenders make known to police any Internet connections or Web sites they use or maintain.

“The law has been there, but this is the first time we are charging anybody,” said Capt. Brad Wells of the Madison County Sheriff’s Department.

Kruckeberg initially was taken into custody last Thursday and was charged formally Monday.

The investigation, which began in November, started as the result of someone calling the department to ask why Kruckeberg could have a MySpace account, Wells said.

He said the investigation took a couple of months because of the subpoena process and the difficulty in gathering evidence about a person’s individual accounts.

Detectives had no evidence that Kruckeberg was an immediate threat to anyone by virtue of his access, Wells said.

“If that was the case, we would have had him under a whole lot more of a microscope and (in jail) a lot sooner,” he said.

The failure to register also is a violation of MySpace’s own guidelines, Wells said.

MySpace recently has made a very public effort to oust sex offenders from its registration rolls. Last week, it announced that it had purged the accounts of 90,000 people. The move came in the wake of public pressure over offenders potentially preying on children through the use of such sites.

“(After the tip), we did a ‘preservation’ on the account,” Wells said, explaining the department occasionally takes such action in order to prevent records or evidence from being lost or destroyed. A subpoena was necessary to help prevent the MySpace page from being taken down from the site. The tactic occasionally is used in tracking cell phone records and social networking sites, he said.

The department eventually confirmed that the suspect had an active account and a live connection to the Internet, Wells said.

Kruckeberg was being held at the Madison County Jail in Edwardsville on $25,000 bond.

Kruckeberg became a registered sex offender after a 2006 conviction for aggravated criminal sexual abuse in Madison County, records indicate. He has a lengthy record for crimes including forgery, aggravated battery to a pregnant person, burglary and theft, but according to records, he has gotten only probation or supervision for the crimes.

While there are dozens of sex offender charges filed each year in Madison County, it remained unclear Monday whether this case is the first to be based on the statute that went into effect on Jan. 1, 2008. Wells said it was the first for his department, but Stephanee Smith, a spokeswoman for the Madison County State’s Attorney’s Office, said she was unsure if it was the first for the county overall.